COVID-19 is seen as the catalyst for many changes to entrenched behaviours and practices across society. Of all sectors these changes have been no less in aged care. The reality is that Covid accelerated existing slowly evolving trends by a ...
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Mobile app eases mask stress for deaf residents
A new app has sought to break down communication barriers between elderly residents and staff brought on by face masks and social distancing. The Care Cards app, developed by NSW allied health provider Guide Healthcare, uses preset questions or probes ...
More »New film asks if smart home tech enriches older people’s lives?
During the first year of COVID-19, researchers installed smart home technologies into the households of older people to observe how digital devices impacted their lives. Smart Homes for Seniors, directed by Professor Sarah Pink, captured this journey through the eyes ...
More »Digital care tech is helping to ensure aged care residents get enough nutrients and hydration
Certain considerations must always be contemplated and envisaged before implementing changes to an environment where an elderly person resides, to ensure they are as comfortable, safe and happy as possible. One area of growing concern is hydration and nutrition, which ...
More »Using virtual reality to bridge the COVID-19 service gap
As the aged care industry adjusts to COVID-19, providers will be expected to innovate to meet the growing demands for safe, age friendly living spaces. When Safdar Ali, a Brisbane-based aged care consultant, considered these future challenges under lockdown, it ...
More »How aged care providers should respond to a cyber attack: opinion
As I’ve written previously, cyber attacks on the healthcare sector are on the rise. The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) reported cyber security incidents relating to the Australian healthcare sector increased by 85 per cent in 2020. The health sector ...
More »How digital technology is helping to transform the quality of care in aged care homes
It’s no secret that the utilisation of digital technology has facilitated innovation and improved digital access for many of Australia’s aged care homes. Providers relying heavily on paper or outdated systems to evidence care have been hit especially hard due ...
More »No ‘one size fits all’: is technology enough to address loneliness?
Digital apps, virtual reality and other social technologies are being developed globally to aid widespread loneliness felt among older adults during COVID-19. New research has looked into the unintended consequences of digital apps to solve the deficit in social connection experienced ...
More »Digital transformation an ‘ongoing journey’
Digital innovation has been at the forefront of discussions around aged care reform and planning for the future ageing population. But Dr George Margelis, the chairman of the Aged Care Industry and Technology Council, is warning against innovating too fast. He ...
More »Cyber attacks pose a huge risk to the health and aged care sector: opinion
The health and aged care sectors are facing an increasing onslaught of cyber attacks, often causing untold financial and reputational damage to their organisations. Earlier this year, The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) reported cyber security incidents relating to the ...
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